Built To Win: The Elusive DC2 Integra

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Imagine the day when a Clubsprint car attracts as much attention as the Pro Class at World Time Attack Challenge.

Welcome to WTAC 2018.

Traditionally speaking, the quicker lap times, higher profile drivers and wild looking aero of Pro Class racing are where the majority of attention is focused.

This year, however, one of the most divisive and discussed entrants was racing at the opposite end of the field in the in the V-Sport Clubsprint Class; the entry tier to World Time Attack Challenge.

Not only did this 600hp conversation piece take the outright victory in its class, but this local entrant also generated a level of conversation which I’ve never encountered outside of an international guest or outright winner before.

The ‘teg even managed to win our first Social Showdown battle on Instagram. This DC2 represents just how much Time Attack has changed in the past few years, and I’m not just talking about broken records.

I won’t lie, Elusive Racing’s fully race prepped Honda Integra DC2 did look out of place mixing it up with a class predominantly populated with street-based cars sporting mild DIY aero packages with ‘Average Joes’ behind the wheel. You know, real grass-roots racing.

The amount of effort, expense and team dedication in the Elusive garage closer resembled what I would have expected to see in a Pro Class garage.

They’re not alone though.

There are always a few teams that take their preparation to the next level, such as BYP Garage, but what set the fire was Elusive’s element of surprise.

In our ‘social age’ where the majority of people are completely incapable of keeping anything remotely exciting to themselves, the power of surprise held by those with tight lips has in recent years multiplied by an almost incalculably high factor.

Built To The Book

Before arriving in pit lane, very few people knew how serious Elusive’s entry was, or even that the Integra project existed at all. The secrecy was rewarded as just as soon as the trailer was unloaded, the chatter began.

Some good, some bad. Amidst the awe stirred by this previously unheard of build, accusations of non-compliance and even outright cheating were rife throughout pitlane and even the grandstands.

Apparently, both WTAC officials and CAMS (Confederation Of Motor Sport), Australia’s governing body, had heard the rumours too, and took them seriously.

Each entity sent multiple delegates for a number of inspections, including WTAC bossman Ian Baker himself, to verify if the turbocharged K24 powered DC2 did indeed comply with the class’ guidelines.

During four separate inspections, only one issue crossed the line; both doors had been lightened by cross-drilling out holes. Officials enforced a 10kgs (22lbs) penalty to compensate for the weight loss. Every other aspect of the car was within (or just on) the definition of the regulations.

The team added closer to 20kgs (44lbs), both as an act of goodwill and also to silence the negative chatter.

The team made no secret that the entire build revolved around what was and wasn’t eligible for entry in the class. Every clause, bullet point, and reference double-checked and considered before a single tool was raised or part purchased.

Now, I’ve come across two different schools of thought on this book-spec building in such a low tier, and both sides of the argument make some strong points that I have trouble disagreeing with.

Half the people I’ve spoken with applaud the team’s commitment to breaking records and pushing forwards, while the other half’s counter to that argument is that Clubsprint should be a place for low budget racers to get that first taste of real competition against other grassroots blokes and gals. Something of a motorsport incubator.

Rules were meant to be broken. Well, not broken in this case, but pushed. I know it sort of goes against the spirit of Clubsprint class, but to use a road rule metaphor; if the speed limit on a road is 100km/h, and your car is capable of 100km/h, would you slow down and drive at just 80km/h if that’s what most other drivers are doing?

While it’s a slightly obscure and very different scenario, your answer will pave the way to the truth in how you would build your class car. Do you chase maximum speed at all costs, or does racing what you own enough to leave you satisfied? I don’t believe there’s just one right answer.

Outright Speed Vs. Fierce Competition

It’s a double-edged sword. Let’s get all 50 Shades of Grey and role play for a minute. Imagine it’s your event, and you are calling the shots.

Would your regulations be geared towards encouraging teams of all classes to spare no expense and wage a total war against each other – and the lap timer – even at the possible expense of generating less competitor interest and a smaller category in years to come?

Or would your entry classes be more, well, entry-level? By introducing heavy restrictions that not only limit lap record potential but also, by proxy, limit the expenses required for teams to be competitive enough to be satisfied by their first (and hopefully not last) taste of Time Attack competition?

Of course, the hope of growing the field spurs an additional benefit in the long term.

I’m not envious of those that need to revise the rulebook each year with the aim of striking the perfect balance. One thing that you’ll get me to agree to is that I’m glad I’m not the one responsible for making such decisions.

Should we encourage a no-holds-barred approach with a sole focus on progress and faster times? Or should we strive to find a balance that promotes fierce competition between a more significant number of entrants, with less emphasis on outright speed?

I will have to disagree with you on that one. He gave a spec sheet and a plethora of pictures that show the level of prep and parts thrown at this car. I actually read this article because of what it is on. It posits a good question: How much is too much for a class? It is a perpetually asked question in all levels of racing. Should someone be able to purchase a win in a lower, entry level class because they have more resources?

I don't know much about the rules and regulations but why wasn't this car bumped up to the next tier? I recon its fair, WTAC is a pretty big deal event so it makes sense, maybe not the best place for average Joes to be cutting their teeth.

Not bumped up because it met the class rules. Yes not everyone takes things to the same limit but in any sport knowing the rules, how to stay in them and how close you can get to the line is part of the game.

As for where I stand, if the point of the lower class is to encourage grassroots and budget participation, this car and team should absolutely not be allowed to participate. Racing is expensive. If the cheap, entry level classes start seeing an increase in spending, that is not good for the class and can serve as a way to push/ dissuade people from entering and that is not a good thing. There should be some sort of review panel override.

"the 'spirit' of the rules rather than the actual rules" - problem with that is then it is up to someone's judgement, which may be influenced by many things including whether their friend or their friend's friend is involved. Rules have to be enforced by the book, even if they turn out to be bad rules. Change them for the next event or season if needed, but it is capricious at best to change rules on the spot because your sanctioning body did not anticipate something.

If people bitch about a car built to class rules they should go lower in class. Rules are the same for everyone. Done.

Nice car, looks like these guys take it seriously so that class will either fill up and the competition will elevate or people will be people (complain) and these guys will be penalized until it's competitive again.

I feel Matthew just nailed it. Making a rulebook that balances financial accessibility of entry classes with nevertheless staying attractive to creative and technically advanced builders is one hell of a challenge. And a game you cannot win as it is impossible not to disappoint at least some people. Personally, I tend to believe entry classes should be restritive regards anything potentially expensive as otherwise any rookies on a budget will be discouraged. Then again, thats just me of course. I have seen people building cars for autocross only, using sequential gearboxes and high-end built engines... just to be the overall winner of *some* event, and if it's just a "race" on a parking lot with a "track" made of red and white cones. There's nothing wrong with autocross, mind you. It just shouldn't be a place for 50k$ sole purpose built cars.

It's a tough one, which there's no obvious solution to or else we would have heard it by now.

I - love - to see cars which are built to make the most of the written regulations, where engineers and builders can really show their creativity and ingenuity and their rivals are left cursing because they didn't think of it first. A recent example being a time attack build where the builder wanted the dry sump tank in the passenger foot well, but the regulations stated it must be within the confines of the engine bay. So, they expanded the engine bay into the passenger footwell and put the dry sump system exactly where they wanted it. No rules broken, but more than a few raised eyebrows.

I suppose the real problems arise when someone is just throwing money at it until they win. If you're spending $10,000, I'll just spend $100,000. That's a proper deterrent. Real racers won't have a problem trying to one up each other on and off the track, but when someone can just keep considerably outspending you while you're just about scraping things together, it's going to get real old, real quick.

"So, they expanded the engine bay into the passenger footwell and put the dry sump system exactly where they wanted it." Toyota did a similar thing with luggage space in the fuel tank for LeMans a few years back. Of course if you or I did it they would send us packing.

hahaha I know it happens in club racing just not as much on the regional levels. This is why I got out of racin though. Too much bullshit guys without skill but a big wallet to lay the smack down on the easy mods.

You want real racing you go to spec wheel to wheel racing. Doesn't sell magazines like this time attack bullshit, but that's real racing.

Or you go full unlimited. Those are the only 2 real forms of racing. Everything else gets this BS.

I don't really understand the enjoyment of building a fully race prepped car and getting it to BARELY squeak into the lowest tier race class. If these guys really wanted to push themselves, wouldn't they want to compete against a field of competitors who had cars in the same league? Bringing a fully built car with a (what I can only assume based on how the article was written) ringer driver against a class of lightly modified cars driven by amateurs is the automotive equivalent of someone hacking in video games, or sports players who use steroids. Yeah, sure, you'll win almost every time (or at least have a big advantage), but isn't the victory rather hollow? This sort of victory by pushing the rules and winning by sparing no expense financially has killed many other race organizations, both by killing interest spectator wise and from competitors. In short, if you have an actual race car and a very talented driver you paid to drive your car, join a competitive racing class that suits your vehicle. Don't show up to a weekend track event with mostly very lightly modified cars with a bunch of people who are new to racing and only drive a few weekends here and there and then expect them to not think you're a giant douchebag.

It's not the same as hacking or steroids. It's more like blood doping in cycling were there is a set limit and the teams skate right on the line.Hacking or steroids is line cutting a corner racing, these guys are just putting together a good rig and hiring a good racer.

I'm not a racing class expert by any means, but this entire article was written from the standpoint that this car is unique among a field of cars that are much less modified, and they managed to bend every rule to get it in this lower class. If that isn't correct then the entire article is wrong, or you're wrong.

*Elusive. Evasive Motorsports is a different shop. But both words simply mean "hard to catch," and not necessarily by cheating. The car was inspected multiple times by the people who made the rules, don't be jealous.

It's a great car they have put together no doubt and while it is within the rules it isn't within the spirt of clubsprint. They turned up with a car that had everything thrown at it emtron, motec dash etc and had it driven by someone who advertises his services as a driver coach! While they won and took the trophy home it is a hollow victory at best and not something that should be celebrated. They are actually killing clubsprint. This isnt grassroots.

If Ian Baker really wants clubsprint to survive in the future. He will only allow entries from privateers, NO WORKSHOP CARS!

But where do you draw the line between a workshop and the home garage of a hobbyist fabricator who happens to have worked his ass off to get a well-paying job that leaves him with the disposable income to pursue that hobby? Are you to then limit class participation to those of a certain household income? This is becoming like other areas of life, where the poor complain that the rich are born on Easy Street. Learn the system and move up, then stop bitching. The rulebook is there for anyone to read. Get to know it intimately, and talk to the governing body to see where you can push things and what you can and can't get away with. Everyone has the internet at their disposal these days, so there are really no excuses left for resourcefulness.

Pretty easy here. There seems to be 8 guys at elusive in the photos above. Do you really think its fair that the cumulative experience of 8 guys be judged against what a hobbyist fabricator with disposable income can do?

For one, 'working on cars in the garage with friends' may as well be a stereotype for even the poorest of those in this little hobby of ours. And we don't know the extent of the experience of this one theoretical hobbyist compared to the eight they're going up against. Look at Bad Obsession Motorsport (Project Binky) on YouTube: two guys, re-engineering a car from the ground up, making that Mini leagues more complicated than it really needs to be. Experience can be concentrated.

For another, go back to what I said about resourcefulness and the internet: we all have the "cumulative experience" of millions of people at our fingertips. You only have to think of the right questions to ask Jeeves.

Let's not get bogged down in hypotheticals over experience. Fact is they turned up with a car that really resembles an open class package excluding aero and wheels/tyres, min weight and had a massive team of paid employees to support them all weekend.

I stand by my comments, this was a car put together and with no expense spared to show what the elusive racing workshop can do and to market to existing or future clients. I have no problem with a car being built for this as most of the open teams are all workshop cars and I love that they are pushing the edge in this category. I just feel if this is allowed to continue in clubsprint it will disincentivize players and spell the end for the category . They are already making it more difficult to enter clubsprint as it is. It used to be half the fee of open class. Now it is only $100 difference.

Have the rules for the class changed to allow for significantly more extreme modification, though? As was stated in the article, the car was inspected multiple times, and except for some minor weight reduction it was found to be within the rules. The same limits, and the same allowances, given everyone else in the class. What the car "resembles" hardly matters if the car wasn't actually built beyond what its class allows. I'm wondering, now, if a fancy livery and expensive brand names are twisting your judgement.

That the entry fee isn't the same for every class is surprising to me (granted, I've only been to a few small events that don't attract too many people from out of state), although that does make sense if it goes toward the rewards for that class. Winnings are a great way to earn money for your race car, no? More incentive to push your skills?

Basically the author himself highlighted that the car and team looked like something you would see in Pro class and while I believe the car wasn't illegal by the book it doesn't match the spirit of clubsprint. Maybe the rules can be examined to curtail it getting out of control. I also questioned why the driver was allowed to run in the event given his racing activities, but it looks like you have noted that yourself below.

Wow. I didn't know that integra was pushing 600hp. HOLY CRAP! You can't really complain about it. They followed the rule book. If they want to spend that kinda money to win clubsport ok. I can't afford to fly my car anywhere to compete so more power to them. Hell, I have an fd3s sitting waiting to be fixed when I have time to do it, if I ever have time. Anyone wanna buy an FD?

WTAC is an international event and so i believe that all entrants should be complying with all class rules, but i also believe that they dont have to stick to a specific price range. What these guys have done is awesome because theyre upping the game and making it interesting, which as a car enthusiast, i appreciate and love to see. An international event is where you want to bring all your game, not leave it at home where it is unseen. Also, if you were to compare the elusive car to previous entrants such as last years clubsprint winner (jordan cox's evo, pb: 1:36)(two seconds faster than elusive), this wouldve come easily after it.Which might i also add, had a driver coach behind the wheel.

This is EXACTLY what a WTAC car should be, built to the rule book and made to go as fast as possible.If you can't/won't build a car to the class rules and are then beaten by someone/a team that does, who is to blame?!

There was a lot of heated discussion about this car in the timeattack builders group on facebook especially about the driver and how it was unfair he was behind the wheel. I beleive if you are the owner you shpuld be driving in clubsprint

I think the line that needs to be established is this - If this car is toe-ing the line of the rule book, and the grassroots racer is the one who suffers (which I agree with, to many race series forget that the little guy is the lifeblood of a healthy organization), should the discontent be directed at the team who personified the shortcomings of the rulebook, or the organizer who wrote the rulebook?

I very much put this 100% on the organizer, the rulebook was exploited by a team with a budget. The "at fault" here is the weak rulebook, so throwing shade a team that had the resources to take it to its limit is shortsighted.

Another commentary on the article, I'm really curious as to what the "borderlines" of legality were on the car?

Why is everyone so sour!? Ahhh it's cuz another Honda took out the class. However when a heavily modified Evo with basically a semi-pro race driver took it out last year nobody complained? They had a full support team just like these guys 600+hp minus the fancy livery.. hahaha the butthurt clearly is real.

Could care less about it being a Honda actually. The fact that these questions havent been addressed when that EVO won the year prior means it probably wont happen again. What a shame for the clubsprint class

Nothing compared to Scott Tucker mounting a multi million dollar effort to win the D Sports Racing class at the SCCA runoffs a few years back. Had about a 20 man team that developed the car in the world's most advanced moving ground plane wind tunnel, had Multimatic tune the suspension on a 4 post rig and make custom shocks, etc., had test drivers, coaches, engine specialists and much more to win a club racing championship. A lot of people thought it was cool. A lot of people thought it was bad form, but where do you draw the line - and how fuzzy is that line? It resulted in rule changes, but if somebody wanted to spend that much again, they would probably have good results. There will always be someone who will spend more and put in more effort to build a faster car. It will never change. The only way to limit money spent is to have claiming rules where the car can be bought after the competition for a set amount. It does not matter what the rules are if someone wants to win bad enough. If it were showroom stock rules, money could still be spent on endless testing, data analysis and subtle tweaking - as well as clever cheating. It's just the way it is, so why get bothered by it?

I thought it was interesting that the front track was significantly wider while at the rear, the fenders appear stock.

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To the keen eye, just by looking at those pics above, you can tell those Elusive guys left A LOT on the table and did not push the rule book like it was written in the article....but to each his own.

I believe, the whole drama should revolve around the organizers that did not make a clear distinction between a low-budget stock-ish cars vs. cars like this Integra that has more work done to it. IMO to make the field playing fair, the organizers should consider adding a lower class for those that do not have financial means, or level out the BoP in this class.

Where do I start, (there's a LOT to say). Let's talk about those garbage rear wing stays? They flex, you do not want THAT piece to flex. The rear wing should do its job properly by transfer the downforce into the chassis, those stays are dingy and flex.

The bolts that hold up the wing. If they were SERIOUS about aero, they would have a male-female bolt with countersunk head to reduce drag; instead to have simple bolts that run over a centimeter pass the nut, THAT causes drag, and drag causes a worse lap time.

In the rear they are using 17 X 9 cast wheel where they run 235 tires. They could have used a 17 X 8.5 to reduce rotational inertia. With a 9'' width rim you run a 245 tire, not a 235. Every millisecond count! They could have switched to forged wheels to remove some unsprung weight and add stiffness.

I know I am picky here but working for a motorsport company, we look very carefully at those details. And those details stick out like a sore thumb.

They also spent a considerable amount of money in the electronic with Motec DDU and PDM, but skimp on the dampers?! They appear to have rubber bushings up top?!? With the money dumped into the electronic they should have consider running proper dampers, (Penske, Multimatics or equivalent).

The cage welded on the rear shock tower doesn't do its job properly. They should have removed the stock Honda bracket spot-welded into the rear shock towers, removing the spot welds and weld in nice steel plates ALL AROUND the shock towers and have the rear kickers go DIRECTLY onto the rear shock tower. Doing that you would reduce flex, and by reducing flex you can better fine tune the suspension.

I can go on and on about this build. Essentially they brought a car into a class that seemed to be filled with beginners/ grassroots guys. If I were the organizers, (as I said in my previous comment), I would have either open another class for beginners, or bump those guys up in class, so you level the BoP for everyone.

So WTAC disqualifies the WRX that was leading the Clubsprint class at the end of day one for an off the shelf V Mount radiator and this car just gets a little slap on the wrists with a 44 pound ballast penalty ? This car has a custom made harness with almost nothing of the original left and also is driven by a licensed racing driver with a decade of experience.

If cars are getting disqualified because of rule violations you can't pick and choose like this

I love when people bitch about the driver's ability like it's some rule book violation. Haha.

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